Posts Tagged ‘healthy eating’

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2nd Annual Passover Challenge

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

I’m so excited for the Second Annual Passover Challenge.

Last year was a blast! O.K, fine maybe blast is not the right word- but Team Passover Challenge reported the following benefits:

  • Weight Loss.
  • Better Sleep.
  • More Energy.
  • Improvement in Skin.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE JEWISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHALLENGE!

Many thousands of years ago, the Jews fled Egypt, they did not have time for their bread to rise – blah, blah, blah for 8 days once a year, Jewish people only eat unleavened bread – or something called Matzo.

The challenge is basically this- instead of replacing bread with Matzo (and horrible oil filled baked goods)- scrap all bread products for 8 days! Your bowels will thank you. For 8 days (Jew or not) let’s put the toaster away, seal up the rice, leave the potatoes in the crisper and eat lots of fruit, veggies and lean proteins!images

THE PASSOVER CHALLENGE  RULES

  • No white stuff (bread, rice, potatoes, pasta)
  • No Brown stuff (yup even the whole wheat bread, brown rice and whole wheat pastas are out)
  • Stick to Lean proteins like eggs, fish, chicken, lean beef, turkey and lean pork (for those that eat it)
  • Fill up on vegetables, low fat dairy products and fresh fruits!
  • Try as best as you can to avoid anything processed – if you have to open a box to eat it- avoid it.

I’m not going to lie- it’s a tough challenge. One you should be mentally prepared for if your going to take it on. But it’s only 8 days! You have your whole life to eat bread, pasta and potatoes. For 8 days, give your body a break! It will thank you – that I can promise!

We’ll start on March 30th and end on April 7th. Let me know if you want in!!!!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

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10 Healthy Lunch Ideas

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Last but not least we are stocking our refrigerators and cupboards with healthy foods for lunch. For a refresher or to help you build a grocery list CLICK HERE for breakfast ideas , CLICK HERE for dinner ideas and CLICK HERE for snack ideas.

Whether you take lunch with you to work or make lunch at home, here are some great ideas to get you through the week.

1. Whatever you have for dinner, make enough so that you have left overs for lunch. This is the best way to ensure you have a healthy, filling lunch!  From stir fry’s, to fish, to lean red meat to healthy stews – everything can be packed into a lunch bag!

2. Make a Sandwich! Everyone is still a little terrified of bread that they forget how healthy and delicious a sandwich can be. Make it your own way to ensure your getting a nutritious and delicious sandwich. Here are some of my favs :

*I make all my sandwiches with Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread*

  • Turkey (Nitrate free) with a Laughing Cow Light cheese and tomato slices.
  • Peanut butter (1 tbsp) with 1/2 a banana
  • Grilled Cheese with 1 ounce of cheese
  • Tuna salad made with plain yogurt and mustard instead of mayo ( I like to throw in fresh chopped apples and a splash of balsamic vinegar)
  • Pizza Muffin – Ezekiel English Muffin (or whole wheat English muffin) with tomato sauce and 1 ounce of cheese (split into two)
  • Breakfast For Lunch Sandwich!  1 egg and 2 whites (cooked), 1 slice of Canadian back bacon, and 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese

* I will either have a home made vegetable soup with my sandwich, some fresh cut veggies or a salad to help fill me up*

3. Grill a bunch of chicken breasts at the beginning of the week so you have them and can just toss them on a salad for an easy lunch! IMG_0227

4. Use your chicken breasts to make wraps. Click the following recipe titles for a bunch of different wrap ideas!

Don’t forget to use a whole grain wrap!

5. Make a batch of Turkey Burgers at the beginning of the week so you have them to toss on a salad or eat in a whole grain bun!

6. Make a batch of Quinoa!  CLICK HERE for one way to make it- but you can do anything you want to it!

7. Omelets are great for lunch if you work from home or even on the weekend.

8. Pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket and use the chicken for salads, wraps or even a quesadilla! CLICK HERE for a recipe!

9. Make a batch of turkey chili at the beginning of the week and bring one serving of it with you to work to warm up!

10. Make a big Quiche at the beginning of the week and take 2 slices with you to work along with a soup or a salad.  CLICK HERE for my favorite crust-less quiche recipe!

As you can see, there is a plethora of lunch ideas out there. Sometimes you just have to be reminded that they exist. If you have any more ideas please feel free to send them in!

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The Best Breakfast Cereals

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

The following are my number one picks for cereals. All high in fiber, low in sugar and as few ingredients as possible. You’ll notice that all of these cereals are made with REAL food. Hard to find in a cereal box these days!images-1

Bite Sized Shredded Wheat - Whole Grain Wheat.

*Come on! This is an amazing cereal with ONE ingredient! How rare!

hero-1

Kashi Whole Grain Cereal Puffs - Kashi Seven Whole Grain & sesame ( Hard red wheat, brown rice, whole grain oats, triticale barley, try, buckwheat, sesame seeds)

*All food, no sugar. Try adding 1/4 cup of Grape Nuts or Original All Bran to add some fiber!

weetabix_original_en

Weetabix : Whole Wheat, Barley Malt Extract, Sugar, Salt, Iron, Niacin, Thiamine Hydrochloride.

* Yes, there is sugar in there- but it’s not corn syrup and it’s not some chemical like Aspartam or Sucralose. Plus your only getting 2 grams of sugar in one serving!

NP-SmartBran-US

Smart Bran – Organic wheat bran, organic oat fiber, organic evaporated cane juice, organic psyllium seed husk, organic barley malt extract, organic oat bran, organic whole oat flour, sea salt.

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Grape Nuts – Whole grain wheat flour, wheat flour, malted barley four, salt, dried yeast, soy lecithin. *Enriched with the following vitamin and minerals- iron, vitamin B6, zinc to name a few

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Original Kashi Go Lean - Soy Grits, Kashi Seven Whole Grain & sesame ( Hard red wheat, brown rice, whole grain oats, triticale barley, try, buckwheat, sesame seeds), evaporated cane juice, corn meal, corn flour, soy protein, wheat bran , oar fiber, corn bran, honey, evaporated cane juice, natural flavors, calcium carbonate, salt, annattoo color.

* 13 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber in one bowl! Wow! And no chemicals or corn syrup to boot!

ServeImage

All Bran Original (The sticks) – Wheat bran, sugar, malt (corn flour, malted barley), salt, vitamins (thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, d-calcium pantothenate), iron.

Type Serving Size Caloires Carbs Protien Fat Fiber Sugar
Bite Sized Shredded Wheat 1 cup 160 37 5 1 6 0
Kashi Whole Grain 7 Cereal Puffs 1 cup 70 15 2 .5 1 0
Weetabix 2 biscuts 130 28 4 1 4 2
Smart Bran 2/3 cup 90 24 3 1 13 6
Grape Nuts 1/2 cup 200 48 6 1 7 4
Original Kashi Go Lean 1 cup 140 30 13 1 10 6
All Bran Original (The sticks) 1/2 cup 90 27 4 1 12 7

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How to Form Complete Proteins

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

I get asked this all the time : What is a complete protein and how do you form one?

In order for your body to get the full benefits of protein you need to consume a complete one. A complete protein is made up of 20 amino acids. 10 – 12 of which your body can produce (called non-essential amino acids) and 8 – 10 of which your body can not produce (essential amino acids). You must get these essential amino acids from the foods you eat. Here’s how!

  • Generally, animal protein contains all essential amino acids.

Not into eating meat and still want a protein based meal ?

  • Proteins in plant foods (except soy) usually do not contain all essential amino acids, making them incomplete proteins. However you can combine foods with incomplete proteins  to make a complete one.

Here is the list of foods that together form complete proteins:

  1. Grains with Nuts/Seeds. * Rice with Sesame Seeds
  2. Nuts/Seeds with Legumes. * Sesame Seeds and Peanut Butter
  3. Legumes and Grains. * Peanut Butter Sandwich /  Rice and beans
  4. Grains and Milk Products. * Cereal and Milk / Fettuccine Alfredo
  5. Milk Products and Legumes. * Cream soup with beans in it!
  • These foods do not need to be combined in the same meal, just throughout the same day.

images-4images-5images-1

  • Quinoa is a grain that by itself forms a complete protein
  • Ezekiel Bread 4: 9 is a sprouted grain bread that by itself forms a complete protein.
  • It’s important to note that a peanut is considered a Legume, an Almond or Cashew is a nut.

Resources :   American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/  Diet for a Small Planet, Ballantrine Books (1992) N.Y http://www.smallplanet.org/home/


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Dealing With Valentines Day Candy

Friday, February 12th, 2010

For whatever reason, we seem to celebrate any and all holidays with food. And not just food- junk food. It’s Valentines day! A day to imagescelebrate love of every kind and we show our affection by giving each other chocolate. Does this really make any sense ? Whether it makes sense to me or not- it’s going to happen! You will inevitably be staring some sort of candy in the face this February 14th.

And I can sit here and write all the ways and reasons you should say NO thank-you to this chocolate or cinnamon heart – I can write 10 suggestions of other things to buy your loved one including flowers, a massage or a pedicure. But the reality is- we are all going to have to cross paths with the stuff. It’s unavoidable. All I ask is that you have it in moderation. Try to stick to one or two treats! Make sure to ask yourself if it’s truly worth it before you pop it in your mouth. And don’t use the day as an excuse to go over board.

One tiny little ball of chocolate it usually around 100 calories (that’s just under 1/2 a chocolate bar) so if you have two chocolates that’s about 1 whole bar. Would you sit and eat 3 chocolate bars in a row ? Then don’t allow yourself to easily pop 6 of these things!

They are deceiving!

And remember – after the big day- throw any left over candy in the garbage. Don’t bring it into the office to taunt others (including yourself) with it. It’s way better in the garbage then on your thighs !!!

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Carbohydrate Free Turkey Burgers

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

These are so easy to make! They’re great on a salad or on an Ezekiel English muffin with some cheddar or avocado! They are also great cold the next day! As you can see I like mine with pickles and tomato’s!

IMG_0667

What You’ll Need:

  1. Pkg lean ground turkey
  2. Diced Onions
  3. 1 egg whipped
  4. 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  5. Pepper to taste
  6. Montreal Steak Spice to taste (Easy on this, it’s high in salt!)
  7. 2 Tbsp Honey Dijon Mustard

Here’s what you do:

  1. In a pan on medium with a touch of olive oil. Sautee the onions until they are golden (5 minutes)
  2. Combine all ingredients including onions.
  3. In the same pan you used to cook the onions: Spray with olive oil and set to medium.
  4. Form 3 or 4 ounce burgers and cook on medium. (About 3 -5 minutes a side)
  5. Remove from pan and serve!

* Nutritional Information – 4 ounce burger

Calories Carbohydrates Protein Fat Fiber
193 10.5 19.7 1.5 0

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Healthy Brand of Tomato Sauce

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

I have found THE MOST delicious tomato sauce. You could drink it it’s so good!!! It tastes as if there’s an Italian women from the old country making sauce in your kitchen. It’s delicious. I am currently putting it on everything! I’ve made my Chicken Parmesan , Turkey Meat loaf , Spaghetti Squash , Stuffed Chicken, No Noodle Lasagna , Egg Pizza and Pizza Muffins with it. I’ve also heated it up and ate it with just a spoon. No joke.

IMG_1649

Here is why I love it so much:

  • It’s ingredients include : Tomato, Carrots, Basil, Olive oil, Onions, Celery, Salt and Seasonings.
  • This sauce has no added sugar, preservatives, thickeners or trans fats. Finding a store bought sauce without sugar or corn syrup is hard to do!

For 100 ml (a little less than 1/2 a cup)

Calories Carbohydrates Protein Fat Fiber
15 4 1 0 0

I’ve tried both the Garden Fresh Tomato & Basil and the Arrabbiata (Spicy! But in a good way!) I found the Mediterranean Garden brand at Fiesta Farms. It’s a local grocery store in Toronto, Canada. The Mediterranean Garden site does not have much information on it but have a click – it may be worth a call to see if they sell it in a store near you!.  www.stellarfood.com

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Something To Think About

Friday, February 5th, 2010

A while back I read a very interesting interview with the New York Times best selling author Michael Pollan who had just written a new book titled In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. Now, whether or not you agree with all he has to say- it’s still a very interesting and informed point of view. But what struck me most about this interview was how he closed it.

He said, and I quote:
“I think, that the rule to end all rules should simply be, don’t eat anything you’ve ever seen advertised on TV.”

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Since that time, he has released a documentary titled “FOOD INC” – a must see! As well as a new book titled “Food Rules” where he has rules like:
  • Don’t eat anything your great grandmother would not recognize as food. For example- Yogurt tubes
  • Eat all the junk food you want, as long as you make it yourself. – He reminds you what a pain in the butt it is to make cakes and things like french fries. So when you do spend the time to make something – it’s a real treat.

He stresses the cost of food versus the cost of heath-care. How when his parents were growing up, they spent twice as much on food than they did on health care. Now that we live in a society of processed, cheap and mass produced food  – we  spend double on health care and 1/2 as much on food.

What we put into our bodies REALLY does effect our health. Wouldn’t you rather spend the money on feeding yourself yummy, wholesome food then on medication for diabetes and high cholesterol???

Let’s go back to his original challenge – ‘Don’t eat anything you’ve seen advertised on T.V.” A challenging (all be it a tough one to follow.) And I’m sure even he has his moments- you can’t be 100% good 100% of the time. In fact, he was eating a basket of fried something or other while he was being interviewed. But if you can try to accomplish something like this 80% of the time, your way better off then either never doing it or only trying 10 or 20%  of the time!

Try to keep this in the back of your head the next time you go grocery shopping. Best way to accomplish this is to shop the perimeter of the store. This is where majority of the fresh food lives. Or check out local farmer’s markets. You’re pretty much guaranteed to find fresh, local organic fruits, vegetables and protein!
P.S – If you have not done so already- go out and rent FOOD INC. It’s a real eye opener into what we are putting into our bodies everyday.
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3 Keys To Weight Loss

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

The 3 key things I tell all my clients about weight loss:

1. You have to eat to lose weight. This rule is of the utmost importance for two reasons.

A. In order for your metabolism to work to it’s best ability- it needs to always be working in some form. Once it rests, it get’s a little lazy. Starting up again is slow- meaning you’re working through calories at a slower pace. Think of it like this: Your want to use a treadmill – it’s way easier (and better for you) to go from a walk to a jog to a run then to go from standing still straight into running.

B.  If you don’t feed your body enough food, it begins to think you’re in starvation mode. What does that mean? Your body is terrified it won’t get enough fuel to make your essential muscles and organs work. So it will take whatever you feed it and HOLD ONTO IT. It will store it as fat (yup, even if it’s fat free) in case such an emergency arises.  I’ve seen people who eat 1000 calories a day GAIN weight.


2. Your body’s # 1 source of energy is carbohydrates. When you eat, your body grabs the easiest thing you ingested and turns it into usable energy. This is normally the simple carbohydrates like white breads and sugars. Now imagine you did not feed your body these things- what would it use ? We’ll if it’s doesn’t have carbohydrates to draw from it moves to fat. Your body will work hard to convert fat (that you have eaten and that’s stored in your body) to usable energy. You want your body to reach for stored fat. This is why many diets take away a lot of unnecessary starches.


3. As soon as you eat a food high in sugar (and fake sugar) you’re setting yourself up for faliure. It’s not YOU personally- but your bodies reaction to how it digests what you have eaten. The food (be it white bread, cereal or a cookie) is going to tell your body that it feels REALLY great to eat this UNTIL you crash, however many minutes later. And then your body is going to want more – regardless of whether you are still hungry- so it can feel good again. Yes it is like an addiction. So although these foods don’t HAVE TO BE off limits while you’re trying to lose weight, know that they are invertible setting up roadblocks for you. Turning down something that looks delicious is a hard enough struggle with your brain, why get your body involved too.

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Grab and Go Healthy Snacks

Monday, January 25th, 2010
We’re still stocking your cupboards and refrigerator with healthy food. Snack are so important! in the heat of hunger we grab what’s easiest. If you have something healthy right beside you- that’s what your going to eat. Plus you’re less likely to get famished because you have emergency snacks where ever you go.

Whether it’s snacks for your purse,  your car, desk, or the house-  if your making healthy lifestyle changes you should always make sure that you have snack on hand.

GOOD FOR THE CAR, YOUR PURSE OR YOUR DESK:
  • 1 ounce raw nuts. I like Almonds, cashews and brazil nuts.
  • Fresh cut up veggies. I like celery, carrots, cucumber and peppers. If you can’t stomach veggies on their own try it with 2 tbsp of hummus or 1 tbsp of low-fat Ranch or Cesar dressing.
  • Cheese Strings. ( These last a few hours outside of a refrigerator)
  • An emergency bar like a LARA Bar or The Simply Bar.
  • Piece of fruit.
  • Whole grain crackers like WASA crackers and some Light Laughing Cow to spread on top.
  • Celery/ whole grain crackers and Natural Peanut Butter.

If you are going to have a snack like rice chips, pretzels or something processed like that. Just make sure you look at the back of the bag and portion out your one serving. Place your 8 chips or whatever it is in a zip lock baggy and bring JUST THE BAGGY to work with you.

Snacks for your house OR if you have a refrigerator at your office:

  • 3/4 cups skim milk with 1/4 cup chocolate milk. Have it on the rocks or warm it in the microwave for a hot cocoa.
  • Cottage cheese with cinnamon for a sweet tooth.
  • Cottage cheese with cucumber and tomato for a savory tooth.
  • Cottage cheese with fresh berries for a sweet tooth.
  • Single servings of yogurt.
  • 1/4 cup low fat Ricotta cheese with fresh berries.

I never leave the house without something on hand. And if I do find myself in a situation where I don’t have anything to eat and I’m out running errands – I grab a tall non-fat latte. It’s approximatly 8 ounces of milk and a great tide me over snack that holds me until my next meal.

Feel free to write in with ideas and thoughts!

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